CalcArena

VO2 Max Calculator (Cooper 12-Minute Run)

Run or walk as far as possible in 12 minutes, then plug the distance into the Cooper equation to estimate aerobic capacity.

Enter Test Distance

Track laps (400 meters each) or use GPS. Enter total meters achieved in 12 minutes.

Result

VO2 Max (mL/kg/min) --

How the Cooper Test Works

Formula

VO2 Max = (distance in meters - 504.9) / 44.73

Step-by-step

  1. Warm up thoroughly, then cover as much distance as possible in 12 minutes.
  2. Measure total distance in meters (track laps x 400 or GPS distance).
  3. Subtract 504.9 from the distance and divide by 44.73 to estimate VO2 max.

Notes

The Cooper test assumes near maximal effort. It is a solid field estimate for tracking changes over time. A 1.5 mile run test is an alternative (VO2 ~ 3.5 + 483 divided by time in minutes).

References